Stardate 2261
by KetKat
Summary: Two years after Khan had been defeated, Kirk thought he'd finally found peace. When Starfleet demands the murderer is reawakened, Kirk begins to uncover a secret that will change his life forever... Kirk/Khan
1. The Awakening

/N Hi guys! I simply felt the Kirk/Khan love on FanFiction was lacking... so here you go!

(Yes, this is rated M for 'Men doing it'... eventually.)

Hope you enjoy the intro!  
Ket xo

* * *

'Captain James T Kirk, Stardate 2261.' There was a pause; the Captain was contemplating his words.

'It's been two years since we intercepted Khan Noonien Singh, and two years since we placed him back into cryogenic sleep. We're almost half way through our five year exploration, and we've found planets, species, knowledge that nobody on Earth would believe. It's been the best experience of my life, yet something troubles me.' Jim licked his chapped lips, stammering.

'Sometimes I think…. I feel like what he did – _what he's done –_ wasn't so bad. We are all driven for a reason. I'm here because this is where I want to be- and space is my freedom - the only freedom for me. Others come here to better themselves, and when Khan awoke, he was driven for the love of his crew.

But what troubles me is that if I had been Khan, I would've done exactly the same thing. Put my crew first and fucked everyone else.'

He ended the log abruptly, running a hand though his hair, a frown creasing his forehead. He wasn't going to finish that, partly because he didn't know where his train of thought was leading. It wasn't often that his thoughts left him confused and uncertain; James Kirk did not doubt anyone, especially himself.

Besides, he had a crew meeting to attend, he didn't have time to maintain his log. Straightening his uniform, the man left the Captain's quarters.

* * *

'You cannot be serious, Captain.'

The flat tone of his First Officer failed to surprise him. This was, of course, the reaction he'd been expecting.

'There is no logical explanation for why you would want to do this.' Spock continued, never once breaking eye contact from his Captain. The Officer was certain in his beliefs that his dear friend must be becoming mentally unhinged, for what he proposed was completely illogical.

'Does it matter what reason I have? I'm the Captain of this ship. What we hold on board is mine to decide what we do with it.'

'Captain I must protest-'

'There'll be no more questions. I'll be heading to the cargo bay after this meeting.' Kirk finalised, staring intently back at Spock. Guilt then pulsed through his body at not explaining himself, not even to his closest friend. His features softened for a moment, looking over again before addressing the rest of the group.

'Please be assured that your safety is my highest priority. I will make sure that none of you will be threatened in this process. If any of you feel uncomfortable feel free to see me in the Captain's quarters.' Uncertainty washed over the faces of his crewmates: Chekov, Bones, Scotty. He was also sure Spock would've looked more worried if a deep frown wasn't creasing his forehead already. Jim knew he wasn't the most reassuring of people, but he prayed they had at least a little trust in him, or enough pity to humour him in this task.

'Now back to work everyone, we've got a ship to run.' It was definitely a bad time to remember that they'd practically left Sulu and Uhura on the bridge alone, with autopilot manning the Enterprise.

Besides, it was the best excuse to stop Spock tailing after him.

Well that's what Jim had thought, until a firm hand landed on his shoulder. He turned to face the Vulcan, being met with an almost stern expression.

'I am aware that it is against your wishes, but I _must _ask that you reconsider your previous decision. This endeavour could potentially harm every member of this crew; I cannot allow it to proceed.' Spock was being more stubborn than usual, but Jim understood why.

But he wasn't going to back down, he had a relentless streak that was just as strong.

'This needs to be done Spock. We knew it had to eventually, otherwise why would Starfleet demand we keep it aboard? We will be _fine_.' His tone was adamant, not wasting any time in heading towards the Cargo bay.

Spock fell in an easy stride beside him, matching his pace as he continued talking. 'But what if we lose control of the situation and put everyone on this ship at risk? There is no fathomable reason why you would want to reawaken a known murderer and-'

Jim pressed a finger to Spock's lips, thinking of no other way to shut Spock up in that moment. 'You know why this has to be done.' he repeated, releasing his breath with a hint of exasperation. 'If you're so terrified, go back to the bridge. I'll do this on my own.'

'Absolutely not.' Was the Vulcan's instant reply, effectively ending the conversation as they strode to the cargo bay. Jim hastily brought his hand back to his side, facing the metal doors of the bay. Although Spock was truly unaware of the reason they were about to wake up Khan, he would still follow his Captain for the sake of Kirk's safety.

* * *

This was it.

This was the moment in which they'd open the capsule in which Khan lay, the superhuman frozen in permanent sleep. Jim folded his arms as they approached the cold coffin, feeling the chill seep into his skin, unease weaving its way into his body.

'You are uncertain about this.' Spock stated as he observed his companion. He knew that his Captain had a lot of nervous twitches, such as picking as his jumper, or folding his arms, or refusing to make eye contact. He was doing two of these things now.

'I don't really have a choice Spock, if we don't wake him up…' Kirk trailed off, leaving the Vulcan to fill in the gaps as he studied the immobile body in front of him. It was bizarre, how a mass murderer could look so calm, so _peaceful _in sleep… Kirk had to resist the urge to just stretch forward, lift the casing and place a hand on Khan's chest to check that he wasn't a figurine. He seemed pristine, and this served only to worry him more.

_How can someone so perfect be so destructive?_

But that thought soon dissipated, he knew first hand of the betrayal, the misery that this man had caused. His charm only served as a means to his end: destruction of Starfleet. Kirk knew he'd never fall for it again either, but the same might not be said for his crew…

His fist abruptly slammed into the side of the case, pressing the button that would lift the glass prison. Then it would be a matter of minutes until Khan took his first breath, and opened those icy blue eyes that served to haunt his nightmares.

Those icy blue eyes had crinkled with satisfaction when he'd snapped Marcus's neck.

A hand fell onto his shoulder again, muscles jolting as he craned his head to face Spock, finding his friend's expression blank as usual. Spock knew he'd been weighing up his options there and then, that he'd hidden away in the solace of his mind for just a brief moment.

'I will alert you as to when he wakes Captain. It would be beneficial that you return to bridge and command the Enterprise.'

Jim hesitated, staring back at Khan's body again. _This has to be done. They commanded it. _He'd been insistent on staying, yet he found himself nodding numbly, feet placing themselves one in front of the other as he slowly wandered back to the bridge.

And Spock remained behind, staring at the current corpse that was Khan Noonien Singh. He was considering why the Captain had decided to awaken him now, but the whole ordeal still perplexed him. Starfleet failed to inform anyone but Jim of why Khan's body would be taken aboard, but judging by their expressions Spock realised that whatever it was, it was highly significant. Either way, he was in no position to question any of the Commanders or his Captain.

Although last time Kirk had followed Starfleet orders so blindly, nearly everyone aboard the Enterprise had died.

A dry rasp filled the room, the Vulcan's head snapping towards the source of the noise. Khan's eyes flew open, alert and awake for the first time in years.

Yet what came next the Vulcan didn't expect. It was another rasp, but this time it formed words – two in fact.

'James Kirk.'

* * *

A/N Not much of a cliffhanger I know, but just for future reference:

Chapters will be longer and I hope to update once a month **at the ****_latest._** It'll honestly depend on how much free time I have in the evenings, but I promise not to leave anyone hanging! ;)

Ket xo


	2. The Denial

A/N Had some spare time today so I thought I'd write a little more! The plot begins...

Thank you all for following/fave/reviewing so far, I appreciate it c:

Ket xo

* * *

Spock stared blankly at the awakening superhuman, simply taking in the words that he had just spoken. Why did Khan Noonien Singh, of all people, think about James Tiberius Kirk in his first breath? Well, it was likely that Khan wanted to exact revenge and wrap his iron hands around Jim's throat. After all, it had been the only thing he had thought about previously. His family factored into this too, but considering his utterance he doubted they were plaguing his mind.

Another gasp, Spock monitored the man's breathing, watching his chest rise and fall with every movement. He was simply staring at the ceiling now, but Spock was not surprised to see this from a man who had been unconscious for nearly two years. His fingers inched towards his phaser, being prepared for any murderous rampage. Of course, his phaser would have to be used more than once to keep Khan down.

'...James? Is that you?' a disorientated look filled Khan's eyes, unnerving Spock. Maybe he should've called the Captain by now...

'The Captain is currently indisposed with navigating the ship.' he stated plainly. Confusion ran across Khan's face, and Spock contemplated it for a moment. This emotion was foreign to him, and to see it on Khan was even more bizarre.

'Ship..?' He blinked again, attempting to sit up. His eyes then widened, realisation flooding through them. 'We're on the Enterprise?' The man stumbled, finding his footing as he slammed them into the floor, sweat dribbling across his forehead from the sudden exertion.

'Affirmative. The Vulcan inched forwards, readying himself to use his Vulcan grip. 'I have operated on the Captain and Starfleet's orders to awaken you. Your crew is located elsewhere.' His words flew straight through Khan's ears, as the man's feet were still struggling to plant themselves on the ground.

'Take me to the Captain.' Khan insisted, half demanding, half pleading.

'Not possible. There is the high likelihood of you causing harm to the Captain or the crew of the Enterprise. I cannot allow you to do that.' Khan's shoulders seemed to slump slightly as he peered up at the Vulcan again.

'Please.'

Spock blinked in surprise, taking a moment to process his words. Khan was acting rather peculiar...But what else could the Vulcan do? He couldn't exactly trap a superhuman in the Cargo Bay and expect him to remain there. He also had to follow his Captain's orders, which meant that Khan could not be treated like a prisoner if they were to ensure he did not try to slaughter every sentient being on board.

'I will allow it on the condition that you will not inflict injury to the Captain.' Khan nodded, and Spock abruptly turned on his heel and left the room. It was in that moment that Khan finally found the strength to jump to his feet and follow.

* * *

'Permission to enter the bridge captain.'

'Permission granted.' Jim responded, looking at the monitor into the deep space. They were just leaving the nearest known class M planet. He couldn't help but feel slightly distant, knowing that if one thing failed on their ship they'd all perish now. It was a fragile state to be in.

'Captain?' Spock's curious tone filtered through his thoughts, craning his neck to face the Vulcan. He couldn't stop the frown creasing his forehead, spotting the familiar crop of dark hair behind him.

Khan.

'What is it Commander?' His voice took on a flat tone, simply letting his eyes rake over Khan, smoothing out his expression with ease. The first thing he'd learnt as Captain was not to let your emotions show too strongly when on the chair, they would shift you out of it in a few minutes. He'd known that when Spock had been emotionally compromised…

'Our passenger requests a private audience with you Captain. It would be undutiful to not accept.' Footsteps could be heard as the bridge fell into silence. Spock stood by the chair, waiting expectantly.

Jim exhaled quietly, carefully rising to his feet. 'Permission granted.' He muttered, brushing past his First Officer with no other comment. 'I will be in my Captain's quarters if required.' He addressed the rest of his crew, tone akin to a spoilt child whose toys had been taken away.

Khan shadowed him for the entire walk.

Jim entered his room, taking a moment to simply breathe in the space that had become his. This was his only home now; the area had slowly grown to represent him. It included the scattering of ornaments that reminded him of his mother, and Admiral Pike. It was the single place that he was allowed peace, time not being a Captain.

And now he'd let Khan inside his haven. The man hadn't spoken at all, but it still irritated Jim.

'I know why you awakened me.' Khan's deep voice permeated Kirk's senses, bringing him to full attention. 'You will not say it, but I know why.'

'I did it on Starfleet Orders.' Kirk replied, still looking at the wall of his room, the neat picture frame of Pike hanging loosely, his smile glaring right back at him. 'There was no other reason. You betrayed me and my crew and you are a murd-'

'I can _feel _it in my blood, Kirk. You can be as stubborn as you want, but you _know_ it's true.' Khan interrupted calmly, watching as Kirk's shoulders hunched. The Captain hadn't realised he was now facing the Superhuman, and his expression betrayed every emotion he held: confusion, anger, frustration… but the one most significant of all was denial. He refused to believe why Starfleet had awakened Khan, he simply could not believe that they would insist on putting his whole crew in jeopardy…

'Why haven't you killed us yet?' Jim finally whispered, peering into Khan's icy gaze, trying to make sense of anything – _something_ – that had happened in the last 48 hours. 'You could do it so easily, you nearly done it before.'

'I think you know the answer to that too.' A hand found itself onto Jim's face, but he could not do anything to remove it. He was frozen to the spot, simply staring, searching Khan's expression for any indication, any deception. But he could find none, and it sorely reminded him of the time they'd been in a similar situation, and there'd been a glass barrier between them. Khan then cupped Jim's face with his other free hand, also taking the moment to analyse the man in front of him.

'This is a consequence of Dr McCoy reviving you. He defied nature, your human nature.' Khan struggled not to spit out his last words, still holding the Captain's face between his hands. 'You will not listen, but the situation has changed, and Starfleet is aware of it too.'

'Nothing has changed! You're supposed to be asleep! We're on an exploration, and I'm still a Captain.' Sweat broke out on Jim's forehead, beading down his temples, slipping between Khan's fingers. Yet Khan did not remove his hold on Kirk's face, effectively preventing Jim from launching into a full blown frenzy.

'Just tell me one thing Jim, before I leave your room, before I put on a red shirt and contribute to engineering. If you can answer this, I will not bring up the subject of my awakening again. I will listen to your every order.' Khan's expression set into a calm mask, leaning closer, placing his face mere inches from Jim's. The Blonde could only nod weakly, captured in Khan's piercing gaze.

'Tell me you do not feel it as well, in the blood that was transfused to you.'

Jim sparked to life, yanking Khan's cold hands from his face, flinching as he took a step back. 'I don't feel _anything_, Khan. All I know, and all I care about is that Starfleet told me to wake you up, and that you will be a second engineer under Scotty. That's it. End of story.'

He headed towards the door, pulling on the handle to leave. He stopped only for one moment, and it was Khan's voice that made him do so.

'The sooner you get past your denial Captain, the less painful this process will be.' Khan murmured, once again behind him, a constant silhouette.

But Jim ignored the way the air stilled around them, the way his blood seemed to bubble by their closeness. He also ignored the sweats that developed on his forehead again, as well as his hands as his breathing shallowed.

Jim just walked away, never once looking back.

* * *

'Jim, your vitals are off. They haven't been like this since we headed for Kro-'

'I don't want to hear it Bones.' Jim cut the Doctor off, lying down on a medical bay bed, running a cloth across his damp forehead. The bay's cool temperature slammed against his flushed skin, feeling his whole face burn as he attempted to control himself. He knew the sweats, the flushes and tremors would pass, they always did. They'd never lasted long.

'You haven't had this problem since you died, Jim. I'm not sure I can declare you fit for navigating this ship.' Bones started, watching as his best friend's face crumpled in annoyance. It pained him to see Jim so frustrated, so disappointed at his news, but he knew it was necessary. Bones had been responsible for monitoring Jim's health ever since he'd transfused Khan's blood into the man. His vitals and impulses had been stable until the last two weeks. His friend tried to hide it, but Bones saw through it. Bones saw the slight tremble Jim had developed when sitting in the chair, the flash of pain that crossed his face when he thought nobody was looking.

He knew James Kirk was not a healthy man.

'Bones, I'm fine. Let me go back to the bridge.' Jim began to sit up, staring almost pleadingly at his friend, insistently. 'Spock can't man this ship forever, he'll drive everyone mad with protocol.' He tried to joke, his weak grin faltering when Bones's lips didn't even crack into a smile.

'He can man this ship perfectly fine, Jim. He's done it enough times.' Bones sighed, finally coming to his decision.

'I'm sorry Jim, I'm keeping you here for medical surveillance.'

* * *

A/N If anything so far doesn't make sense, don't worry, it will soon enough! Not even Spock has worked out why Starfleet ordered Jim to wake Khan up yet ;) (Although if you want to drop a review asking about it, I will answer!)

I plan to update as soon as I have some more free time (No idea when that'll be) so stick around!

Ket xo


	3. The Dream

A/N So in just under two weeks, I've managed to update again! This one's a little longer than usual (I'm getting used to writing more) and there'll be a few hints you might want to look out for..

Thanks to Ex Mentis who point out a mistake in one of my chapters - I appreciate the nitpicking! c:

KetKat xo

* * *

Bones had never been so glad to leave the Captain.

The Captain had thrown his medical instruments – his _expensive _medical instruments across the room when he'd heard the news. He'd watched his scanners gain dents on their sides, his medieval stethoscope be chucked precariously into the walls, and he'd also seen Jim go into a full blown tantrum. That's the only way Bones could describe the way his Captain's features had screwed up; like a baby about to cry.

And of course, Bones had reached into his pocket, fumbling for some sleeping tablets. 'Come on Jim, off to sleep.' His tone was dripping with sarcasm, growing impatient at the abuse he was receiving. The pills flew from his hand as Jim batted them away, crossing his arms.

'Are you really going to be like this? Do you really want your crew to see you? I'm betting even Engineering can hear you shouting like a spoilt brat.' This quietened Jim slightly, who was now staring at the Doctor with wide eyes. Bones took another step forwards, reaching down to pick up the tablets again. 'Just one, to get you some rest, you look awful.'

'Might want to improve your bedside manner Doc.' Jim tried to crack a smile again, wincing with pain. He hadn't wanted to admit it but Bones had been right, he probably wasn't fit to be navigating the ship. But part of him was still hurt by the Doctor's orders, knowing he'd been forced to be away from his ship, his livelihood.

'I'm a Doctor, not a counsellor.' Bones muttered, popping the foil on the tablet and offering it to Jim. The Captain took it, rolling it in his palm.

'I hate not being in the chair.' His voice was quiet in the Medical bay, letting his murmur reach Bones. He had expected the man to seem surprised, confused. Yet the Doctor didn't react at all, simply looking back.

'I know Jim, I know. This'll be easier if you get some sleep.' His calm eyes fixated on the Captain, waiting for the man to swallow the drug. He watched as Jim lifted his palm to his mouth, swallowing intently.

'Don't tell anyone I had to be here, I got a reputation to keep up.' Jim winked at Bones, quickly recovering from the little crack in his mask of confidence. Bones understood Jim; he understood the Captain's need to look fearless at all times, to seem brave even when he was secretly terrified. It's also why Bones wasn't going to tell anyone he'd had to admit Jim to the medical bay. He would humour his Captain.

'I won't say a word.' Jim seemed to relax at his promise. It was then that his Captain's eyes drifted shut, suddenly feeling too heavy to keep open. Bones knew he'd be out for hours, so he went back to his duties, relieved that he was no longer a babysitter.

* * *

'Good morning Captain.'

Kirk sat bolt upright, shivering, peering around the room. He desperately tried to locate the voice, the deep voice that had sent fear pummelling straight into his heart. But he couldn't find Khan anywhere, and that made him even more fearful.

Suddenly a face was swimming in his vision, staring intently, too close. He could see every follicle of dark hair, every contour and pore on his skin. He could see the sharp blue eyes that examined him, the eyes that could probably read his mind.

And Jim's sweating began again, turning away to cough, completely surprised. 'What are you doing here?'

'Examining you.' Was the instant reply, breath tickling Jim's skin. The superhuman smelt peculiar, crisp, like fresh snow. Jim didn't quite understand how that was even possible, mind ploughing through a muggy confusion. Even his body felt weighted, heavy, trapped to the bed he lay in.

'W-Where's Bones?' He found himself mumbling, words slightly slurred, but still comprehensible. Khan's lips creased into a small smile, still staring at Kirk.

'Busy. 'He answered curtly, sneaking a quick glance at the door. 'So tell me, how do you feel? Any disorientation, sweating perhaps?' As the words rolled off Khan's lips, Kirk could feel his vision blur slightly, a fuzzy feeling shrouding his mind once again. It was like he hadn't eaten in days, and he was going to pass out from the dizziness.

'Not at all...' He grunted, peering at Khan with his double vision, squinting. 'I feel completely fine, I'm just tired.' He wiped his hands on the sheets, trying to disguise the symptoms that had developed. Jim had a feeling it was normal; everyone sweated once in a while, right? He probably had a fever…

'Or you've got something more sinister than you admit. Something to do with the blood, _my blood.' _Khan hissed, running a finger over Kirk's wrist. The sensation was like needles of ice had pierced Jim's skin, for his sweating ceased immediately, overcome with coldness. What was the man doing to him?

'No.' He rasped, senses deteriorating. Everything was coated in a grey haze.

The ice inside his veins seemed to grow sharper, fiercer, coursing through his body. The chill seeped into his toes, his fingers, his heart. The shrill of monitors wailed in the distance, but Jim couldn't focus on it. It was all too far away. He could only concentrate on the hard features of the superhuman in front of him, watching the man's lips curl into a cruel smile.

'Enjoy dying again, Captain Kirk.' Khan leaned forward, his lips ghosting over Jim's, letting the cool air escape his mouth, and once again re-enter Jim's body.

The monitors screeched louder, harsher. Jim could do nothing but remain paralysed in fear, body encased in a prism of ice. He was cold, all he could feel was cold, and Khan was too close. The air was being flattened from his lungs, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't _breathe, _he-

'CAPTAIN!'

Firm hands gripped the Captain's shoulder, shaking him, jerking him. But the beeping wouldn't go away, he was still frozen. He couldn't move, even with someone's grip throwing his body back and forth. He couldn't twitch at all.

'Jim, Jim! Listen to me, you're _dreaming_.' Bones's voice filtered through Kirk's ears, rousing him to consciousness. The beeping slowed slightly as his eyes cracked open, squinting against the bright light.

'Bones..?' he murmured sleepily, taking in the distressed expression of his friend. He still felt cold, but he tried to shake away the feeling. 'What happened? Was I just asleep?'

'Jim, your body went into sleep _paralysis, _I thought you'd stopped breathing!' The man tried to level out his tone, but worry still crept in. His hands were glued to Kirk's shoulders, scanning the Captain's face for any sign of distress or pain. 'You were screaming and yelling but your body was completely still.' He declared, forcefully prising his hands from Kirk's frame and reaching for his medical scanner.

Recognition filled Jim's face for the moment the Doctor turned away, realising his dream had almost hurt him in the waking world.

_But it was a dream, that's all it was._

The slow beep echoed through the room as Bones scanned him, finding his vitals to be more stable than they had been when Jim was sleeping. 'Chill out Bones, I'm okay.' Kirk insisted, rolling his shoulders to prove it. The cold feeling had completely left his body, and it led Jim to believe that he'd been right about his conclusion.

_Just a dream. Nothing else._

'It's not every day someone's body has a spasm in their sleep.' He grunted, placing his medical kit away, looking back over at his Captain. 'Did you dream about anything particular?' Jim shook his head instantly, averting his gaze.

'I didn't know anything was wrong until you woke me up.' Jim lied, taking a few seconds to twitch his muscles one by one, checking they were responsive. 'Can I go for a walk now?' He asked abruptly, keen to escape the Medical Bay.

The Doctor looked conflicted, staring down at his patient. 'Sure,' He decided, sighing. 'But you come back to me afterwards, I want to know what the hell just happened to you.' But before the Doctor had even finished listing his terms and conditions, Jim had already fled.

* * *

Jim needed to find Khan. He didn't want to, but it was necessary.

Jim believed his sweating and his dream meant nothing, but he needed proof of that; he needed the truth. He felt completely normal, and he'd just had a nightmare. Yet something inside of him told him to seek out Khan, to seek out the answer to this conclusion.

That's what led his expedition to the Engineering wing, meeting nose to nose with his Chief Engineer Scotty as soon as he turned the corner. Instruments went flying out of Scotty's hands, a quiet curse leaving his lips.

'Captain, I cannae guarantee your safety if you go hurtling blindly around corners!' Scotty almost shouted, bending over to pick up his tools.

'Sorry, Scotty. I was going to find Khan.' He mumbled as an apology, also reaching down to help him. He turned a strange silver contraption over in his fingers, wondering what it did. It seemed soft, but sharp at the same time…

'Ow!' Jim yelped, releasing the object and letting it clatter to the floor. A strange stinging sensation travelled up his palm, starting from where he'd been holding the item. 'What was that?'

Scotty's chest rumbled with laughter, holding the item by the other end and almost waving it in his Captain's face. 'It's an electromagnetic re-router, Captain. It's what we use to redirect radiation inside the warp core in Emergencies. No wonder it gave ye a bit of a shock.' The man was still laughing as he noted Jim's blank expression, before shaking his head. 'Never mind...'

By now he'd collected his tools, placing them back in the box he'd been holding them in. 'You lookin' for Khan? He be running the Engineering Bay as I go into storage.' Scotty declared, answering Jim's statement from before.

'You're letting _Khan_ run the bay while you're gone?' Jim questioned, surprise overwhelming him. Scotty had disliked Khan from the moment they'd met on the Vengeance, and had been wary of Khan's abilities –and he'd been right. Why had the Engineer changed his mind so quickly?

'For God's sake Captain, he's a 300 year old Superhuman, he knows this technology better than I do.' And with that, Scotty brushed past his Captain, clearly too busy to entertain Kirk's suspicions any longer.

Jim let out his breath in a sigh, simply taking in the little bit of trust Scotty had placed in Khan, and entered the Engineering Wing.

* * *

He spotted Khan right away. He couldn't mistake the straight, rigid posture the man held himself in, even when he was donning a red shirt. Brimming with confidence, Kirk strode over to the man, truly acting the Captain he was.

'Ah, Captain. Didn't think I'd be graced with your presence for a while.' Khan's flat tone responded without even turning around, tapping buttons on a computer screen.

Immediately Jim's mood dampened, a frown of irritation creasing his forehead. 'What do you mean?' He demanded, clasping his hands behind his back to stop them curling into fists.

'I meant that I didn't expect to see you for a while, I thought you'd be in the chair.' Khan stated listlessly, still preoccupied by flashing lights on the screen. Jim had no idea what they meant; he only hoped that Khan wasn't ruining his ship from the inside.

'Yeah yeah, I'm busy. Mind if I have a private discussion?' Jim dismissed Khan's remark, waiting for the superhuman to stand up.

'Of course, how could I resist such a request from my Captain.' Khan shot to his feet, sending a jolt of surprise through Jim. He hadn't expected that. Jim also couldn't tell if Khan's tone was simply bored or sarcastic.

Jim led the way out of the Engineering Wing, into a secluded hall a few metres away. He turned to face Khan, face level with the superhuman's, tone switching to one of seriousness. 'About what you said yesterday…' He began, before being cut off by Khan.

'You want to know what I meant about the change in your blood.' Khan dominated the conversation immediately. He had the audacity to do so because he had the answers to Jim's questions, and they both knew he did.

'How about you tell me, Captain? Did you sleep well? Did you happen to have your sweating develop again? Maybe your fingers started to tremble, like they are now.' His gaze shifted to the Captain's now shaking palms, a smug smile lighting his face.

'How did you-'

'Like I told you, Kirk, I can _feel_ it in my blood. And if you still don't know what that means, maybe you should discuss this with your precious Starfleet Commanders. After all, they were the ones that ordered you to wake me up, weren't they?' Khan finished, leaning closer, searching the Captain's confused expression. It was cute, almost. He looked so lost.

'Yeah, and maybe I'll get them to send you right back to sleep...' Jim mumbled, glaring threateningly at his new Engineer. He wasn't going to let anyone undermine his authority, especially Khan. Jim knew the importance of putting him back in his place.

A deep, almost sinister laugh filled the corridor, and Jim blinked at Khan, confused. 'Why do you think they woke me in the first place, Kirk?' The use of his last name flared Jim's anger. He was Khan's Captain, he did not get the right to address him that way.

'It's adorable, the way you follow your Commanders around like a lost puppy. You just do everything they say, without question, without any doubt. You don't even know why they woke me up. But I do.' Khan finished, his smile growing ever more malicious, smugger than Jim had seen before.

_Whack. _Jim's palm collided with Khan's face, intending to hit him hard, to wipe that grin away. But the Superhuman simply laughed again, not even flinching. 'My my, Jim… haven't you learned from the last time you tried to do that?'

And Jim stood, boiling, fuming. He was so furious about the _proud_ expression Khan wore on his face. He thought he was so smart, so all-knowing, so above everyone else on this ship…

'Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you.' Jim's voice was low, holding a dangerous tone to it. His fingers were already inching towards his phaser, setting it to kill. Khan seemed taken aback; the Captain was serious.

But the smile remained plastered on his face, grinning widely. 'Ask Starfleet, they'll give you one hundred. One of them being that you _will die without me, James Kirk.'_ Malice dripped off his voice, a certain pride that came with having the advantage, having the knowledge that Jim didn't, the answer that Jim desperately craved.

'Oh and Jim, you're feeling a bit cold...' He added in a fake motherly voice, placing a strong grip on Jim's bare arm, smirking again. 'Maybe the Doctor needs to check your vitals again, but I know you'll be fine for now. Shame about your headache though.' Khan commented idly, letting his palm fall back to his side. Jim's skin had felt like it'd gained a coating of ice. The Captain hadn't noticed this until the superhuman brought it up, making his brow twitch with irritation.

'I don't have a headache.' He finally muttered, a lame response to Khan's taunting. Jim refused to process what the man had just said, knowing that if he did, Khan would have something over him, he would need Khan. It was a fact that Jim wasn't going to accept anytime soon.

And the Engineer simply grinned again, taking a step back.

'Sure you don't. Do tell me how your little meeting with Starfleet goes, it'll be fun to see the pieces finally click together in your simple mind.' Khan left the man in peace, his laughter still echoing down the corridors, only reaching Jim's ears.

But that wasn't what Jim had been focusing on. He'd been looking at Khan's palms. They'd been trembling, minutes after his had been. Khan had done well to hide it during their conversation, but he'd spotted it as the man had walked away. He would've thought Khan would have a steady hand, even under pressure...?

He really did need to talk to Starfleet – they clearly had the answer Jim was desperate for. They would explain why they'd woken Khan, and life on the Enterprise would finally make sense again. Khan wouldn't be taunting him, and he wouldn't be confined to the Medical Bay. Everything would be normal…

_What are you worrying about? It was only a dream. And this is just a fever._

Jim didn't acknowledge the throbbing pain in his head, wandering back to the Medical Bay.

* * *

A/N aaaaand there we have it! I'm hoping nobody's working out the puzzle yet (if it's too obvious I will be so upset with myself...)

A massive cheers to all my followers and reviewers, especially KHAAN (your guest reviewer name makes me laugh everytime!) and DyingHipsters, you two make me smile with how nice you are!

Until next time, I'm not sure when I'll update next but I won't love anyone hanging!

KetKat xo


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